X-frame construction



March 27, 1956 e. SCHILBERG 2,739,822

X-FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18, v 1954 FIG. I.

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I IHIU INVENTOR. ARNOLD G. SCHILBERG BY @MQM Attorneys United States ate.

X-FRAME CONSTRUCTION Arnold G. Schilberg, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application June 18, 1954, Serial No. 437,743

3 Claims. (Cl. 280-406) This invention relates to X-member frames for automobiles and the like, and more particularly to the central structure for such frames.

Heretofore, when X-member frames have been made of converging I-beams secured together at the center by upper and lower plate members, it has been found diflicult to provide adequate clearance for the main drive shaft which passes rearwardly between the plates. This has been due to the fact that the I-beam webs extended to a point very close to the geometric center of the central structure, thereby blocking or interfering with the passage of the drive shaft therethrough.

To obviate this dilficulty, the webs of each I-beam were crimped outwardly, but the I-beam structure was thereby weakened.

In addition, a substantial amount of metal was wasted in that the I-beam flanges extended inwardly almost to the center of the securing plates for purposes of rigidity. Any attempt to reduce the amount of metal used served to weaken the central structure.

The present invention .eliminates the above difficulties and provides a central structure for an X-member frame that allows suflicient clearance for the drive shaft at all times, and in which a substantial saving of metal is made, all without sacrifice of stiifness or rigidity.

The invention contemplates the use of I-beams having webs which are longer than the flanges at the central portion of the frame. These portions of the webs are bent outwardly and welded to the upper and lower plates. The flanged portions of the I-beams need only extend a short distance underneath the plates, and are welded thereto. Thus a material saving of metal is accomplished.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vehicle frame having an X-member in which the invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the central structure for the X-member frame, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the structure taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the structure taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the X-member frame comprises four I-beam members 1 which are secured at their outer ends to the side rails of a vehicle frame in any suitable manner, and which converge inwardly toward a pair of horizontal plates 2 and 3 disposed in vertically spaced parallel relationship.

Each I-beam 1 comprises upper and lower vertically spaced flanges 4 and 5, joined by a web 6 which is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the flanges and which is perpendicular thereto. Web 6 is secured to flanges 4 and by suitable welds.

The inner end of each I-beam is flared outwardly on one side and is inserted between plates 2 and 3 so that flanges 4 and 5 abut against the inner surfaces of plates 2 and 3 respectively. The inner end of flange 4 is welded to the lower surface of plate 2 at weld'7, and in addition, the outer edge of plate 2 is welded to the outer surface of flange 4 at weld 8. Flange 5 and plate 3 are secured together in a similar manner at welds 9 and 10 respectively. Thus, a strong union is made between the I-beams and the central plates and the flared portions of each I-beam provide with the plates 2 and 3 a central box-like structure of substantial strength.

Flanges 4 and 5 need not extend for any substantial distance within the central box-like structure, for reasons which will appear later. Heretofore, the flanges extended to a point much closer to the center of the plates. Due to the present invention, the resultant saving of metal will be substantial.

Webs 6 adjacent plates 2 and 3 are bent outwardly at 11 and extend inside the plates but parallel to the longitudinal edges of plates 2 and 3 and at an angle to the web portion approaching plates 2 and 3. The webs have an extension 12 beyond the ends of flanges 4 and 5 inside the plates and terminate at or near the center line of plates 2 and 3. In order to dispose the web extension 12 flush with the inside surfaces of plates 2 and 3, the extension 12 is heightened, as at part 13, a distance corresponding to that of the thickness of flanges 4 and 5. Welds 14 join the Web 6 to flanges 4 and 5 and welds l5 join the portion 13 of web extension 12 to the plates 2 and 3. The web extensions 12 thus provide increased vertical support for the plates and the extent of flanges 4 and 5 within plates 2 and 3 may be decreased without weakening the frame.

The resulting control structure is economical to produce and eliminates the defects of prior structures. Since the webs are straight instead of crimped, as in prior structures, the flanges work to their full efficiency to produce very great rigidity. The saving of material is substantial, and no problems are encountered in passing the drive shaft of the vehicle through the center of the frame.

In addition the entire frame is of greater stiffness than conventional structures. It has been found by tests that the invention provides a central box-like section which is approximately 6% stronger than prior structures, and one which will better withstand the torsional twist on the X-member in service.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. In an X-frame for a vehicle, a pair of I-beam members provided by spaced flanges joined by a central web and disposed in cross-relationship to each other, a central structure for said frame comprising a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed plates, weld means securing the upper and lower'flanges of said I-bearn members to the inner surfaces of the plates, the webs of the I-beams extending beyond said flanges and being bent outwardly to a position substantially parallel with the longitudinal edges of said plates, and weld means securing the webs to the plates beyond said flanges toprovide a central structure which will withstand torsional twist of said X-members.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the extension of the web beyond said flanges has a part corresponding in height to the thickness of the flanges to dispose the extension substantially flush against the inner surface of each plate.

3. In an X-member vehicle frame, a pair of spaced parallel plates disposed horizontally at the approximate midse'ctionof the frame, I-beanis comprising upper and lower spaced parallel flanges joined by a web member perpendicular to said flanges and secured thereto, said I-beams converging to said plates, welds joining the upper and lower flanges of the I-beams with the upper and lower plates respectively relatively near the plate edges, Web extensions extending beyond the ends of said flanges and bent outwardly from the center of said plates at an angle to the longitudinal axes of said I-beams, said extensions having a part thereof substantially as high as the thickness of said flanges to abut the inner surfaces of said plates, and a weld securing the web extensions with the extensions disposed substantially parallel with the outer longitudinal edges of said plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,118,365 Sherman May 24, 1938 2,246,245 Eckhart June 17, 1941 2,609,217 Hess Sept. ,2, 1952 

